


Dust and Ashes

by orphan_account



Category: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Drama & Romance, Eventual Smut, F/F, Family Drama, Lots of Cursing, Sign Language, non-related Elsanna
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-03
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:28:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22070341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: A modern AU where Elsa Frost wants to escape her parents' business but fears their disappointment, Anna Andersen is struggling to both meet ends and keep her mask of optimism, Kristoff Bjorgman just wants his parents to understand, Sven wants to make friends but at the same time won't, Olaf is sick of being coddled, and a trip to the coffee shop might just be a start to solve their problems.
Relationships: Anna/Elsa (Disney), Kristoff & Sven (Disney: Frozen)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 18





	1. Prologue

Anna wakes up to something cold sitting on her face, cold and _scaly_ and when it croaks she opens her eyes to see... green. Anna jumps up, causing it to jump onto her bed and match the pink colour. She groans, "Punz! Your stupid pet is here!" 

Anna hears thundering footsteps before her roommate climbs up their bedroom, the blonde's shoulders relax when she sees her chameleon regain it's usual colour. Rapunzel picks it up and coos while Anna shuffles out of bed. "Why can't you just keep him in his cage?" 

"It's called a habitat, Anna." 

"I don't care, it's scary." 

" _He's_ the sweetest, isn't that right Pascal?" Rapunzel says, nuzzling the reptile. "It's 6:30 by the way." She adds after she kisses Pascal. 

Anna jumps, " _What?"_

"What?" Rapunzel says innocently. 

"Why didn't you--" Anna groans again before scrambling to her closet. She pulls her usual checkered slacks and black button up and in a few minutes she's downstairs of their studio apartment and chugging from the milk bottle. Rapunzel follows awhile later, her walk lazy and relaxed. Before Anna brings back the bottle, she spots the numerous bills that's stuck on the fridge and she grimaces. _I have to pay this month._

"Your parents called." Rapunzel starts when Anna is putting on her Timberlands, she sees the redhead freeze before continuing lacing her boots. 

Anna gives a noncommittal hum and grabs her bag. "And?" 

Rapunzel chooses her next words wisely, Anna could tell by the period of silence that follows. Anna wonders if they'll ever get tired of finding her and attempting to contact her, she guesses it doesn't really help when her cousin is always with her everywhere she goes. But she doesn't need their help. She doesn't need them, she's learnt that when her parents acted like she didn't exist for _thirteen fucking years._

"Well, they'll be in town next weekend and they were wondering if--"

"No." 

An exasperated sigh. "Anna--"

"Rapunzel." Anna stands up and grabs her satchel and skateboard with her, "I don't want to hear it." 

The blonde purses her lips and she's debating something in her head, Anna could also tell with the way she's playing with her long hair. "They could help." She finally says. 

"I don't need it." Anna replies flatly and Rapunzel doesn't reply and then Anna remembers the time, she spares Rapunzel one last glance, ignores the desperation and pleading behind them, and skates to a job she hopes she'll actually keep this time. Just long enough to pay the bills. 

She barely misses a girl holding a paper bag and two coffees on the way. 

When she enters using the back door she has a huge smile on and greets her co-worker with a tone different from before. "Morning, Gale!" 

Gale, upon seeing her, grins a wide grin and waves energetically. "Anna! Since you're so fashionably late, I had to draw on the sign today." He chides. 

Anna grimaces. "Sorry," then adds, "have you seen Oaken?" 

As if on cue, Oaken swiftly pops into the lockers, his head barely missing the top. He has to enter the room sideways because of how big he is. He doesn't seem to mind though, he maneuvers his way through his own shop with ease. 

"Yoo-hoo! Anna, just in time, ya?" 

"Sorry, Oaken. Won't happen again." 

Oaken sizes her up for a quick second, obviously thinking about his next move, before he nods. "Well, that's okay. I just came here to tell you that cafe's open now. Anna," he turns to her, a smile on his face, "make those customers happy, ya?" 

Anna nods and does the combination for her locker and taking out her apron and name tag.

"Gale, no more flirting with the customers, ya?" Oaken follows up and before Gale could actually respond, Oaken's already slipping out and welcoming the customers with a "Yoo-hoo, customers! Big summer blowout!" 

"I don't flirt with customers." Gale mutters. 

Anna puts on her apron before replying, "Maybe don't blow on their ears and scare them." 

"I only do that to regulars!" He defends and he hears one of their co-workers call him and he stomps out the room.

Anna takes one long look on her mirror. She takes a lungful of air _, breathe_ _in,_ she has to keep this job. She has to prove that what they did to her didn't make her some broken thing. 

She doesn't need their apologies or their peace offerings. 

She doesn't need the cash or the gifts. 

She doesn't need them.

_Breathe out._

She smiles and walks out with renewed vigor. _She can do this on her own._

* * *

Elsa checks her reflection one more time, she makes sure her bun is in place and that there's not a wrinkle seen on her grey pantsuit. Then she walks in, (eyes forward and walk confident, don't feel anything, conceal everything) she ignores the girl behind the counter giving her a warm smile and she knocks thrice and waits for her mother's voice before entering. 

It's funny, Elsa thinks, how similar and different she is from her . A lot of people say that she's a carbon copy, sometimes they get mistaken for sisters, but she sees the difference. Her mother is all hard edges and corners, Elsa is just a poorly mimicked duplicate.

"Elsa," her mother says and even her voice is curt, everything about her is business. "So glad you found the time, dear." Her tone is anything but sweet, the endearment sounds forced. 

Elsa finds herself making the same small smile she always gives and she shortly wonders when she last expressed happiness genuinely. _Only because you tampered with my schedule so that I could make it._ "Of course, mother." 

Her mother takes four sure steps towards her and gives her a kiss on the cheek, when she leans back her eyes roam over Elsa's face before her mouth sets into a frown. Elsa tries not to let her shoulders sag because _of course,_ leave it to a Frost to find any and every flaw Elsa has. "You should really see the sun once in a while, Elsa." 

"Yes, mother." 

Her mother smiles as she picks imaginary lint from Elsa's shoulders. "There's a possible merger that might come after your father is done with his business trip." _You mean busy cheating on you and you feigning ignorance because money is too important?_ "Elsa?"

"Hmm?" Elsa's eyes zones back to her mother's and she feels the corner of her mouth tug up. 

"I said that I wanted you to go over the budget with me." Her mother goes back to her desk and Elsa follows suit, her feet carrying her to her own desk that her mother had graciously set up so that Elsa could 'learn from experience.' "Also, there's a company party next weekend, I want you to come with us." 

"Next weekend?" Elsa weakly echoes and she mentally checks her schedule. 

"Yes, Saturday night." Her mother replies, eyes never leaving the laptop splayed before her. 

Elsa's smile is still perfectly placed on her lips but she could feel it straining. "But mother I have a test coming up." 

"Just take it another day." Came the automatic reply. Emotionless. _She doesn't even pretend to care._

"I can't, it's finals." 

At that her mother's fingers cease and her eyes leave the screen to fixate on Elsa. She immediately knows it was a mistake to even argue, she should have just kept her stupid mouth shut and her lips tugging upwards. She sees her mother sigh, "Elsa," her tone is soft but Elsa knows better than to believe whatever words that would come next. "You don't need to go to college and study whatever it is you're studying, dear. Education is for people wanting a future, you already have one. Here, at Aren Co." 

Elsa tries not to wince and she steels herself. It's now or never. "It's architecture, mother." She says, "And I'm really good at it. If you could just--"

"Elsa, please." 

Elsa doesn't argue anymore and from her mother's look, her hope to fight dwindles down to embers. "Okay, mother. I'll be there." 

Her mother smiles and the room is basked in silence, it only breaks when a girl comes rushing in and apologizing for being late, giving some excuse that the line was too long and that the usual cafe wasn't open and that she was almost run over by a girl on a skateboard. Elsa zones out when she hears her mother lecturing the girl. 

She has to talk to her professor and ask him if she could take a special test. 

Don't feel anything, conceal everything. 


	2. where the stars go when the sun rises

Kristoff Bjorgman was raised into a loving family, weird yes, but loving nonetheless. But loving doesn’t immediately mean understanding. He had learnt that the hard way.

He was raised to be fair and to treat women with respect and as equals, he was raised with knowing what privilege he was entitled to with just the colour of his skin which means he was raised knowing the power he has as a cis white man. 

But he was tired. So, so tired. 

He was tired of sitting on his pretty ass in a pretty chair with a pretty family acting like everything was right in the world because they were unaffected. 

One could say that he was selfish, he’d admit to that. He was a white man, he could have anything he ever wanted with minimal obstacles because that’s how _easy_ it is for him. So why make it harder? Why struggle? So he could garner pity points? So that people would think more highly of him?

He’d lost the count of how many fuck yous he wanted to say in response to that. Instead, he went to the academy, got a job as a cop and decided to do whatever little thing he could to help fix the fucked up system he grew up in. 

“Kristoff?” 

His eyes snapped up to the source of the voice and his hand stopped playing with his mashed potatoes for a second. “Yeah?” 

“Your Grand Pabbie was just asking how things were going on at work.” His mother said.

He shifted his eyes to the person in question and he smiled softly. “It’s fine, Grand Pabbie. Nothing ever happens at Arendelle, you know that.”

Grand Pabbie was all wrinkles and bones and he looked weak, yes, but his eyes still shine like he’s in his prime. Full of life and wisdom that he earned through age. Kristoff’s a little jealous to see his own reflected back, lifeless and exhausted. 

“We’re just worried, dear! Don’t want you getting hurt on the job without a wife yet.” 

Kristoff grimaces and then he’s back to poking and prodding his peas with a fork. “Don’t want a wife, mom.” 

“Of course you do!” His mother insists. 

“I don’t, though.” He replies coldly and maybe it was his tone or maybe it was the way he was stabbing his food, either way his mother frowns and looks at him with a disapproving stare. 

“Kristoff, I told you that that’s just a phase, haven’t you gotten over that yet?” 

“You don’t get over these kind of things, mom!” Something in him snaps and he slams the fork down, causing the whole table to rattle. The kids’ bantering immediately falls silent and they look at the adults with curious gazes. 

His mother focuses him with a stern gaze. His eyes goes to his mother trembling, his father with a frown, and his Grand Pabbie with an unreadable gaze.

He turns exasperated. “What? I have been gay for 25 years, I’ve known since I was 10, I’ve told you when I was 17. Mom, why can’t you just accept that?” 

“Kristoff—” His father starts.

”No! Just...” He rubs his face with his hands. 

“I think it’s time for dessert.” Grand Pabbie interjects and his mother is grateful for the change of topic. 

She moves to the kitchen and his father follows suit afterwards. The kids resume their talking about some cartoon and Kristoff is back to playing with his food. 

His chest feels heavy and he just wants to go to the shooting range and feel the recoil of the gun vibrate through his entire being. He just wants to leave. 

”I shouldn’t have come.” He mumbles. He thinks its too soft for his Grand Pabbie to hear but he does. 

“I think your parents are just being assholes.” 

Kristoff’s head goes up so fast he’s afraid he’d gotten a whiplash but he doesn’t hide the surprise in his face. “What?” He says because he’s sure he didn’t hear that right, surely he hadn’t heard Grand Pabbie calling his parents, his own son, an—“Asshole. I thought I raised him better but I guess not.” 

Kristoff snorts and a grin creeps up his face, Grand Pabbie returns it with one of his own. “Go.” He says.

”But...”

”It’s fine. I just wanted to see how my grandson is doing and you seem fine, I’ll talk to them.” 

Kristoff is declining but he’s out of his seat by the time he finishes the sentence. He stands up awkwardly, unsure if he should really go and ditch dinner. 

“It looks like you need to clear your head, I’ll take care of them.” Grand Pabbie reassures and Kristoff gives him one look of adoration before taking his things and leaving. 

* * *

"Fuck!" Olaf curses, tugging his headphones off roughly and throwing them onto his table (with as much care as he could muster because hello? 300 dollars headphones) before spamming the exit button from his game. He could explain to his teammates later why he rage quit, he doesn't really trust himself with saying anything without bursting into expletives. 

He rubs his hands on his face roughly, his tired eyes burning from staring at a screen in a dark room for too long. How long had he been playing? 5? 6 hours now? 

Unintentionally, his eyes shift to the picture frame situated on his desk, a picture of him smiling his goofy smile with his taller and much bigger twin brother beside him. He silently wonders where that smile went and if it ever will show up again. 

His eyes catch his phone lighting up, an incoming call from his parents. He waits for it to go to voicemail before redirecting his gaze to his screen, the background image showing yet another family picture, this time it was set in Japan and he was on Marshall's back, grinning at the camera. 

It takes a few moments but the inevitable happens, Marshall knocks on his door and he bites back a groan and instead says, "Yeah?" 

Marshall opens the door a crack and squints, his eyes adjusting to the dim room. He opens the door further and leans on the doorway with his arms crossed. Olaf can clearly see the phone on his hand. 

"Hey, mom called." Marshall says, his voice gruff but soft. 

Olaf suppresses an eye roll. "Mm, what'd she want?" 

"Just wondering if you had taken your meds." 

"I... haven't. But I will." 

Marshall frowns, "Olaf, have you been taking your medicine?" 

Olaf leans back on his chair, his own frown a mixture of petulant and annoyed. The game from earlier isn't helping his already sour mood. "Yes." 

"Are you sure?" 

"Yes." 

A sigh. "Olaf." 

" _God,_ what?" He throws his hands up, "I'm not dying, Marsh. I'm fine." 

Marshall takes a step in his room and closes the door behind him, he's been in his brother's room numerous times to already know the way to his bed even in the dark. "I know that but—" he takes a seat, the bed dipping to accommodate his weight. "Look, I hate our parents calling us all the time too, okay? But they won't call that much if you don't give them a reason to worry." 

Olaf stays silent, his stare on the ceiling indignant. He lets out an exhale that could be passable as a bark of laughter. "No matter what I do they'll always worry." 

"That's because you're their baby." 

"I'm older than you!" 

"By four minutes." 

"Still older." Olaf grumbles. 

Marshall's about to say something when his phone rings again, their attention both go to the vibrating phone in his hand and Olaf smiles a little when he sees his brother grimace. "It's mom." He lets it ring and looks at Olaf. "Here, how about this. We answer, tell them everything's fine and then we'll go out for some food, yeah?" 

"Your treat?" Olaf asks, hopeful and mood suddenly lifting. 

His brother rolls his eyes but there's a smile there telling Olaf the affirmative, still he says, "Sure. My treat." 

Olaf giggles happily before bouncing up and flicking the light on. He blinks a couple of times. "Wow, okay. Why is that so bright?" He says before plopping beside his brother, they manage to answer it before the last ring. By instinct, Olaf is back to his usual cheerful self their parents have always known and for as long as they have been living together, Marshall never questions it. 

* * *

Anna comes back home with some treats for Pascal and take out for Rapunzel. She apologizes profusely for her attitude earlier and offers the food and a night of whatever movie Rapunzel wants to watch as a peace offering. Her cousin smiles, brushes it off as the morning grumpiness, and they settle in for the night. 

Her cousin doesn't mention the parents thing anymore, what she does mention though is this new dating app she's on and this guy she's matched with, a guy named Flynn Rider. 

"Okay," Anna licks her fingers clean before continuing, their movie forgotten in the background, "you do know Flynn Rider sounds like a totally made up name, right?" 

"It is not!" At Anna's laugh she adds, "I've talked to him okay? He's sent pictures and he's really nice and sweet. A bit egotistical but sweet." 

"R _iight._ And you're sure he just doesn't want your social security number?" 

"Anna!" 

The girl in question raises her hands up, surrendering. "Hey, just looking out for you, cuz." 

"Thank you for your consideration but I don't think I need it." Her speech of defending the guy is cut off by her phone notifying that there's a message. She checks it and smiles triumphantly, showing the message to Anna. "See, he even wants to meet up." 

Anna scans the message before shaking her head. "No way, tell him that you want to eat near where I work.” 

“What?” 

“So I could keep an eye on him?” 

“Anna!” 

“I’m just worried, Punz! C’mon, please. I promise I won’t interrupt.” 

Rapunzel looks at her disbelievingly before she rolls her eyes and begins typing. Anna grins, proud of herself for taking care of her cousin from a potential fraud. 

Ah, who is she kidding? The guy’s definitely a fraud. She just hopes the reveal won’t break her cousin’s heart. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok i promise they will meet next chapter, im actually writing it rn.
> 
> also, i kind of have a tumblr? 
> 
> go talk to me maybe? at axelsonk.co.vu! (indesperateneedoffriendswow)


	3. when coffee is the only answer

Sven didn’t know what made him do it, maybe it was the frustration building up or maybe it was because he was sick of getting misunderstood. Either way, he makes a quick detour from his usual way home and ventures to a part of the city he’s not that familiar with. It’s 10:30 PM on a Tuesday night and he has enough on his plate that making this little getaway doesn’t seem so bad. In fact, he’s deserved it. What with all the shitty things that’s been happening lately. 

He spots a little café that’s sandwiched in between two bigger buildings and with a glance inside, he sees that it’s just what he needed.

He’s halfway there when he feels his feet leave the ground and then suddenly he’s shoved roughly against the wall. He hears his ears ringing and some guy spewing something he can’t quite discern.

Once his eyes aren’t seeing stars he gains focus on what’s happening. He feels something cold and sharp on his throat, he feels a weight pressing against him and pinning him to the wall, and when he doesn’t respond to what the guy’s saying he’s pulled back and then shoved back to the wall.

He let’s out an ‘oof’ and it’s the last thing he hears when his aid gets ripped off and thrown on the ground. 

The man’s saying something again but Sven could only make incoherent sounds, eyes darting to the little device on the floor. 

Sven starts to make gestures with his hands but of course, the man doesn’t know sign language. There’s two other guys with him, one had a vice grip on his right shoulder, keeping Sven in place. While the other, he observed, was the lookout. 

_Great,_ he thinks, _add this to the list of shitty things to happen to me._

* * *

With a few more convincing and a promise trip to the mall, Anna finds herself asking Oaken for a night shift and a bit of overtime. 

She’s playing with her bangs and the end of her pigtails as she waits for her parents to arrive. She was at some restaurant and after seeing the people in dresses and suits, she finds herself feeling out of place in her green sweater and Timbs. 

_Totally should have borrowed some clothes from Rapunzel._

She spots her parents entering and speaking with a waiter and she steels herself. She takes a few deep breaths to calm her nerves and hopes that everything would be fine.

Dear god, let it be fine.

* * *

Elsa never really related with the phrase ‘feeling alone in a room full of people’ until now. Her usual companion to these parties was absent so she was situated at the balcony, swirling a glass of wine without really taking a sip from it. She's staring at the city before here, all tall buildings and lights. She would be enjoying it as usual if it wasn't for the conversation that took place earlier that left her in a mood. 

She sighs for the nth time that night and wonders if she'll get reprimanded or scolded if she left right now. A sudden shot of impulsiveness tells her that she doesn't really care. 

So she downs her drink, gives polite smiles and nods to the people she knows, and silently slips out without anyone noticing. 

* * *

" _Okay but you'll go home once you're done, yeah?"_

"Yes, mom." Olaf drawls. 

_"We'll have a talk later, young man."_ Marshall jokes and Olaf giggles at the simple fact that his brother is just _there_ and treating her normally. _"Seriously, though. Take care, okay?"_

Olaf nods and when he realizes that his brother can't actually see him, he says, "I will. I'll see you later." 

Then the call ends and he's citing his order to this big man who, from his clothes and name tag, looks to be the manager of this place. He thinks of ordering coffee and then sitting outside to just bask in the night air. Then he remembers Marshall and how he’s too kind and understanding and he adds, “To go, please.” After his order. 

He mentally pats his back for making a good decision.

* * *

Kristoff always has his badge and gun on him. He does stand by what he says, Arendelle rarely gets real criminals. His biggest achievement would be arresting a guy who's known for pissing all over the place. Literally. Kristoff caught him while he was pissing from a moving truck. 

So when he spots the three guys cornering one that looks shit scared despite his size, he doesn't think twice and takes his gun out. 

"Freeze!" He shouts, gun switching from between the three of them. But who is he kidding? The safety's on (probably not a good idea) because he's pretty sure that--yep. They ran. Kristoff makes a move to follow them when he glances at the guy who was shaking like it was minus 30 degrees out. 

Immediately he crouches down to where this guy is and through experience, he knows that it's not exactly wise to touch them so Kristoff leans his head downward, trying to catch a glimpse of the guy's eyes. 

"Hey, buddy. Are you hurt?" 

After a while the response came with a subtle shake of his head. 

Kristoff nods understandingly and he looks around, he spots two things. A coffee shop named Oaken's and a small device on the floor. He picks up the latter and inspects it, it looks a bit worn down but it seems like it works. He holds it up for the guy (who was still shaking) to see. 

"This yours?" At that the guy looks up at him and at the device he's holding. He gives a grateful smile and takes it. He slips it on, adjusts it for a bit, and then sighs. 

Kristoff finally stands up, his muscles straining from the position he was in. He regrets skipping leg day now. 

"Want a coffee?" He says while offering a hand to him, he takes it and Kristoff helps him up easily. He shakes his head and does gestures with his hands. The blond blinks before smiling sheepishly. "I have no idea what you just did. But it'll be my treat, c'mon." He makes no room for argument because he's already on his way towards the shop. 

* * *

Anna was running. From her family, from her problems. To somewhere, to something, to someone. 

She knows it's probably not wise to run while there's tears blurring your vision but right now the burn in her lungs and the rhythmic thud of her boots on the pavement give her peace. It distracts her mind from her thoughts because right now she's just focused on pumping her legs until she can't anymore. 

Really though, she should have known running around the city without really seeing anything is bound to give her a concussion or an embarrassing encounter with someone.

It happens when she bumps into someone so hard she feels her breath leave her lungs, she's expecting a face full of cement and when nothing comes she blinks to clear her eyes, just enough to see that she's spilled someone's drink all over them. Anna hears them gasping and her ears register her saying sorry and guiding them to a table outside a shop. She looks up and exhales in relief when she sees that it's Oaken's, she turns back to the boy and looking at him, wow, she just feels the guilt crash in. 

"I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking and I just kept running and I didn't see you and... I work here. I'll get you some new clothes and coffee, I'll be right back, okay?" She doesn't bother waiting for a response because she's already pushed open the door and jogged towards the counter. 

Oaken has to do a double take when he sees her and then he frowns. "Anna, what happened to you?" 

Anna's still catching her breath, her impromptu exercise finally taking a toll on her. She's heaving, her hands on her knees as she tries to take deep breaths but it proves to be a challenge because every breath she takes doesn't quite satisfy her lungs so she's taking big gulps of air in a really fast and-- _breathe. Just breathe._

Her vision gets invaded by a big hand holding a glass of water. When she glances up she sees Oaken giving her a sympathetic smile. "How about you just take it slow, yah?" 

Anna takes it and straightens up, finishing the glass in one go. She's still panting when she finishes but her body feels refreshed and it's humming in gratification. 

The redhead shoots Oaken a big smile. "Thanks, Oaken." The guy in question doesn't say anything else, instead he just leads her to a nearby table and nudges her to sit down. 

She feels her legs give in and she feels herself plop down. Oaken just stands by her, his eyes looking over her to assess if his employee is about to pass out. When he's sure Anna's stable he says, "What happened?" 

And she remembers what happened, the smiles full of pity that she got tired of and then her snapping, yelling at her parents, causing a scene, running here, bumping some teenager...

" _Fuck!_ " She stands up so quickly that blood rushes to her head, she's seeing stars but she powers through Oaken and through the break room. Oaken follows her, worry etched onto his usually calm and happy face. 

"Anna?" 

"I'm sorry, Oaken. I know I'm not doing my best lately and I'll explain everything, really. I just—I bumped into this guy and spilled coffee all over him. So I'm going to give him my extra shirt and—" 

"Anna." He lays his hands on her shoulders, effectively stopping her word vomit. She smiles up at him, it's weak and barely there and Oaken seems to know just what to say. "Take a breath, compose yourself, _then_ you take the shirt to him. I'll make him another round of coffee, ya?" 

Anna's shoulder slump, the tension leaving her body. She gives Oaken a nod and watches him leave the room before breaking down into silent sobs.

—————

It takes her a few minutes but then she's out of the cafe holding a spare t-shirt and two coffees, she spots the guy on the same table she left him, he’s shivering and grimacing and Anna feels the guilt hit her in full force, especially now that she’s sobered up from her emotional high. 

She gives him a sheepish smile. “I’m sorry, again. Here’s the shirt and coffee I promised. And here—“ she moves to take her sweater off when the guy stops her with wide eyes and a red face.

”No, no, no. It’s fine.” He swallows. “Thank you.” He grins up at her. 

Anna shrugs. “Just doing the right thing. You should go change.” 

With a nod the guy stands up and goes back inside, Anna sighs and sits down. She buries her head in her hands, trying to make sense of her thoughts when someone tapped her on the shoulder.

Her head snaps up and, again blood rush, she blinks a couple of times to see a blonde man with a police badge on his neck standing next to a guy bigger than him, all brown hair and brown eyes and full beard. Anna thinks they’d look cute as a couple. 

She’s too tired to function properly so all she could give them was a low hum, indicating that she’s listening.

The blond guy looks sheepish and shy and embarrassed but then he glances at the guy beside him and determination replaces his features. “I’m so sorry to bother you, but do you happen to know sign language?” 

Anna does. But Anna also just wants to get home, curl in her bed, and cry herself to sleep. But she doesn’t have it in her to lie and she doesn’t have it in her to _not_ help. So she slaps on a big grin and nods, “Yep!” 

The blond man sighs in relief. “That’s amazing. I’m Kristoff and I need to get his statement. Do you mind translating?” 

Anna keeps the grin on as she gestures for them to sit. “Sure thing.” 

Kristoff and the brunette take a seat and the former brings out a notepad. 

He looks lost for a minute before gathering his senses. He clears his throat. “Name?” 

The guy makes four figures with his hand. A fist pointing up, a peace sign, another fist with the fingers curled up high, and then two fingers pointing down.

Anna’s sort of glad she took sign language as a subject and she smiles and then looks at Kristoff. “He says his name is Sven.” 

Both of them light up, Kristoff, Anna guesses, for finally being able to somehow communicate with him, and Sven for being understood.

The exchange goes for a short while until they’re interrupted by the guy coming back and sitting down. Anna sees that Kristoff and Sven are communicating via pen and paper and turns to give him an apologetic smile. 

“I’m sorry, again.” She says and she’s given a goofy giggle. 

“It’s fine. Once I got over the initial burning sensation I found the whole situation funny.” 

Anna cracks a smile at that. “Not everyday you get run down by a small girl.” 

Another goofy laugh. 

“I’m Anna, by the way.” 

“Olaf.” 

They shake hands before Olaf redirects his attention to the two communicating enthusiastically. Then he leans to her and whispers, “They do know they can talk using words right?” 

It was Anna’s turn to giggle. “Yeah, well. Sven can’t hear so he uses sign language and Kristoff is trying to get a statement from him.” 

Olaf gasps audibly. “What happened?” He’s stage whispering now and Anna has to bite her lip to prevent another laugh from escaping. The situation Sven was in wasn’t a laughing matter but something about Olaf made the initial tension from it dissipate. 

The duo’s attention was caught and Kristoff was the first to speak, “Who’s the kid?” 

Olaf was quick to reply. “I’m 19!” 

“Right.” Kristoff nods unbelievingly but he smiles anyway. “I’m Kristoff, this is Sven.” 

“So, Sven, what happened?” Olaf turns his attention to the brunette and Anna giggles at the offended look Kristoff gave him. Men and their egos.

Sven makes various gestures so fast that even Anna had trouble translating them. Kristoff and Olaf both looked at her and she feels her face burning and her mouth fishing for words that won’t come to her. 

“Um...”

”He said he was mugged by a bunch of... bad people.” A voice says and four heads snap towards the source.

Anna feels her jaw drop as she stared in awe of at the woman in front of her. The first thing Anna notices are her eyes. Blue, strikingly so. Next was her hair, so light that it almost looks white. 

She was beautiful, to say the least, and Anna has a very certain weak spot for beautiful women. 

“You know sign language?” Olaf says. 

The woman, though beautiful (very much so), looked like she had seen better days. Her hair was (sexily) disheveled, her clothes were rumpled, and her eyes looked like they were crying the whole way she got here. Looking around, Anna actually saw how tired these people are. Olaf's smile, while goofy, was more strained and forced; something she had no trouble deciphering because she's not exactly new to fake smiles. Kristoff looks exhausted and Sven's entire posture screams traumatized. 

If it was any other normal day, Anna would have laughed out loud at the utter madness of the situation. A group of damaged people gathering at a table outside Oaken's, their broken hearts so clearly up on their sleeves. But it isn't a normal day, not for them at least. So Anna doesn't laugh. Instead, she just has this strange urge to gather everyone in her small dainty arms, not caring if she couldn't fit them all, and just squeeze hard enough to maybe, somehow, hopefully mend everything back together. 

"...and this is Anna." 

At the sound of her name her eyes snap up to the woman, who was giving her a look she can't quite read. Anna smiles. "Hi." 

Her magenta lips quirk upward and she reluctantly takes a seat that Olaf offered her. 

"Elsa." She says, sitting so perfectly that Anna is convinced it took most of her life to acquire something to look so effortless. 

"Great, Elsa. Can you and Anna help me with Sven?" Kristoff steers the topic back and Anna's thoughts of how absurd the situation is, is gone from her mind. She focuses on Sven and his gestures, not her galloping heart and the heat flushing her face when Elsa glances at her throughout the rest of the statement. 


End file.
